Every night throughout the playoffs, Sporting News will recognize that day’s top performers by awarding Star Points to the three players who shine brighter than the rest. At the end of the Stanley Cup Finals, the player with the most Star Points will be SN’s Star of the Playoffs.

Here are the stars of Monday’s game:

1. Zach Parise, F, New Jersey Devils

Parise’s first multi-goal game of the 2012 postseason came at no bigger a time for the Devils.

The New Jersey captain had a signature game with two goals and an assist as the Devils evened up their series with the New York Rangers at two games apiece.

Parise set up Travis Zajac’s sixth goal of the playoffs on a nifty feed, after a Michael Del Zotto turnover and quick pass from Dainius Zubrus gave the Devils up for a two-on-one.

Parise scored his first goal on the power play in the third period to give the Devils a 3-0 lead. An Ilya Kovalchuk shot was stopped by Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist, but Lundqvist left a juicy rebound on the doorstep that Parise buried. Late in the third period, Parise added an empty net goal.

Zajac was not shocked by Parise’s big night.

“You knew it was just a matter of time,” Zajac said. “He doesn’t take a game off. He’s a competitor. He know how to score. He goes to those tough areas. So, it was just a matter of time and for him to get rewarded tonight was nice and I’m sure it felt good for him.

2. Martin Brodeur, G, Devils

Brodeur came within 5:05 seconds of his second playoff shutout this postseason and 25th of this career.

The veteran Devils goalie was terrific in Game 4, turning away 28 of the 29 shots he faced in a game that reminded folks the 40-year-old is still more than capable of playing at an elite level.

“I think the best hockey is yet to come,” Brodeur said of the series, now even at two games apiece. “It’s going to get down to the wire.”

Brodeur also added his fourth assist this postseason on Parise’s empty net goal and took a sucker punch from former Devil and current Rangers forward Mike Rupp during an eventful third period.

3. Bryce Salvador, D, Devils

After failing to score a goal in all 82 games of the regular-season, Salvador is making up for lost time this postseason.

Salvador scored his third goal of the playoffs to give the Devils a 1-0 lead. Salvador would later add an assist on Parise’s empty net goal.

All in all, the veteran defenseman has 10 playoff points (three goals, seven assists) in 16 playoff games this postseason. This is after finishing with the regular-season with nine points (all assists).

When asked postgame about his playoff scoring, Salvador indicated it was more luck than anything else.

“Right now, maybe my pucks have eyes on them and I’ll run with it while I can,” Salvador told The (Bergen) Record.

Star point standings

Based on a 3-2-1 point system, with three points awarded for first star, two points for second star and one point for third star.